Fairy Tale Beginnings
by midnightjen
Summary: Fairy tales don't end


**Fairy Tale Beginnings**

She held my hand at the flag raising and at the time I believed that we would be okay. Sure we were in the middle of a war, trapped in a toxic city surrounded by a lot of people who wanted them dead but what did it matter? We would get though it together. After the flag raising, Max pulled her hand from mine and with the promise to talk later set about leading a nation of freaks. 

I watched her turn to address those assembled on the roof, Alec coming to stand by her side. In that moment I wanted to laugh at myself for ever believing they were together. I watched as they worked together, delivering orders seamlessly as if they had spent hours discussing them. I should have realized it then but I was blinded by my love for her. 

I was always there, watching them lead, offering my help whenever I could. I realize now they didn't need it. I was surrounded by people who were created to do this, they were only humoring me. But I let them because for those few minutes I could feel a part of this. I felt connected to her. 

I watched them together never really seeing. I watched her laugh and smile and I watched her fight; fight with him and for her people. I never saw the sadness; she never let me see it. 

I noticed some things, though. The way her face lit up when new arrivals got there safely. The way she worried for everyone when they were out getting supplies. What I didn't see were the changes between them. I didn't see that he was the only one who had the power to make her laugh when things got hard. I didn't see the way she would turn to him when things were bad.

I never noticed that she let him see the sadness. Never noticed the way they always seemed to be touching, whether it was a comforting hand on her shoulder when she was worried or a warm embrace on the couch in her office when she refused to get some sleep.

I didn't believe the things I overheard when Dalton informed Mole he was in charge because Max and Alec were curled together asleep on her couch. When I went to see for myself I always found Max asleep on the couch and Alec in her chair finishing whatever she had been too exhausted to do. 

The truth hit me hard when five weeks into the siege Alec was badly wounded on a supply run. I walked in to HQ smiling and asking if anyone had seen Max. I didn't notice the somber mood of the entire room and when Mole gruffly and what I now realize was reluctantly informed me she was with Alec I grinned and laughingly asked what he'd done this time. I was greeted by the angriest disgusted silence I'd ever heard. I realized my mistake when Gem hit me over the head and angrily informed me that Alec had been wounded. 

Entering his room in the makeshift hospital I was confronted with the thing I had been diligently ignoring all this time. Alec lay on the bed in only his boxers. There was a bandage on his left thigh covering the two bullet holes there and another covering the bullet hole in his abdomen. His body was covered in minor cuts and bruises. 

Max lay beside him on the bed, head resting on his shoulder, arm draped across his chest. Her leg was draped across his uninjured one. She was crying silently on to his shoulder. My heart broke in that moment as I realized what I was doing. I was stopping Max from being with the man she truly loved.

And all for the chance at a happy ending to nearly two years of unrealized feelings.

There would be no fairy tale ending for us because Max had found her prince. I just never thought it would be the pain in the ass X5 she spent half her time hating.

I knew what I had to do. I left the room before I could draw attention to myself and went back to my apartment to think about everything I hadn't wanted to believe. 

Now a week after Alec was injured I watch him sitting on a couch in HQ talking to Dalton and some X6s and I know what I have to do. I go to her office not even bothering to close the door behind me. This won't take long. There she is sitting on that old couch of hers frowning at a list of supplies resting on her knees. I know her mind is not on the supplies and that's okay because I think I understand her a little better now. 

'He's you happy ending.' 

She looks up at me not comprehending and I can understand that, there was no lead in, no warning to this conversation. 

'Alec,' I explain. 'He's the one you want.' 

'Logan,' she says hesitantly, warily even. 

'Its okay Max,' I say truthfully, I've had plenty of time to come to terms with it. 'I've seen the way you look at each other, the way you act around each other. You're perfect together and I get that.' 

She looks at me tiredly but I also see relief that I understand.

'Logan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want to hurt you.' 

'I know but this isn't about me. Go be happy, Max.' 

She gets up suddenly, smiling she moves to leave but pauses at the door. 

'Thanks,' she says before she hurries from the room. 

I watch from the door of her office as she approaches Alec and ignoring the X6s crowded around him straddles his lap and kisses him. Several people laugh and I know that I've done the right thing in letting her go. Alec's hands are resting on her hips, there's something about their positions but I can't quite put my finger on it. Pulling back Max smiles at Alec and I decide its time for me to leave TC. Time to fight for their freedom on the outside. As I pass within hearing range Max speaks. 

'I love you, Alec.' 

'I love you too.' 

That's when I realize what it is about their positions; they were comfortable, like he'd held her like that dozens of times before. And then I remember their parting words after destroying whites signal. 

"I hate you, Alec." 

"I hate you, too." 

They knew even then what was between them. Only now am I beginning to understand them. Their relationship goes way back before the siege, before I saw them together after Alec was arrested. It all started when the guards opened her cell and he stepped into her life. They fell in love at Manticore and I understand now that they knew it. All those times White caught one and knew that the other would come, that's why they stayed apart. It wasn't because of me and it wasn't about Rachel.

It was enough for them to be safe. Now with the whole world against them they're taking the chance because it could be their last.

There is no happy ending only a beginning to this fairy tale.


End file.
